Fluid-compressor



(No Model.)

- 2Sheets-Sheet 1. W. H. TAPPEY.

FLUID GOMPREfiSOR.

Patented Apr. 5, 1887.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-'-Shet 2. W. H. TAPPEY.

FLUID COMPRESSOR.

tented Apr. 5, 1 887.

I I w u. PETER5. mwuuw n m Wuhingicn. m;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. TAPPEY, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.

FLUID-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,542, dated April 5,1887.

Application filed March 17, 1886.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'WrLLLnu H. TAPPEY. a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Peters burg, in the county of Dinwiddie and State ofV1rg1nia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFluid-Compressors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,refer ence being had to the accompanying drawlugs, and to the letters orfigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters ofreference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a top plan view of acompressing pump embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof; Fig. 3, an end elevation thereof. Fig. 4 shows a modificationin the arrangement of levers and their combination with anactuatingpiston instead of a valve; and Fig. 5 shows, on an enlargedscale and in side elevation, a portion of the (letent-lever thatcontrols the shifting devices and the means for adjusting the weightthereon, the latter parts being shown in section. Fig. 6 is across-sectional view of the lever shown in Fig. 5, also on an enlargedscale. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view,on an enlarged scale, of thecrank-shaft, showing the means for adjust ing the coupling brasses orbearings for the piston-rods, the latter being broken away.

The object of my invention is to provide means for automaticallystopping the operation of fluid-compressors by throwing the same out ofgear or connection with the driving mechanism.

The invention has for its further object to provide simple means forcompensating or taking up the wear of the connections between thepiston-rods and crank-shaft of a twin-cylinder or double-actingcompressing-pump.

To these ends the invention consists in the combination, with theforce-pipe of a fluid compressor, of means for automatically thro wingthe compressor out of gear with the driving mechanism, substantially ashereinafter described, and as set forth in the claims.

The invention further consists in providing the piston-rods withheads,in which are formed Serial No. 195,573. (No model.)

seats for the pillow or bearing blocks for the crank of the crank-shaftthat operates the pistons, and in combination therewith of means fortaking up the wear of the parts, substantially as hereinafter fullydescribed, and as set forth in the claims.

- Before describing my invention in detail I would remark that I donotlimit myself in its application to a compressor of specificconstruction, my improvements being applicable to any form offluid-compressor or compressing-pump.

In the above-described drawings I have shown a compressing-pump,which,in its general features,is of usual construction, and those versedin the art to which my invention pertains will readily understand thesame without describing the construction of the pump in detail, exceptin so far as the application of my invention may require suchdescription.

I The pump shown in the above-described drawings is a twin-cylinder ordouble-acting hydraulic compressing pump, F being the frame from whichit is supported; 0 O, the cy1- inders; R R, the piston-rods connectedwith the driving or crank shaft S, which drivingshaft S carries a looseand a fast pulley, D and D, respectively.

It is well known that the connections between the piston rod or rods andthe crank of the crankshaft wear very rapidly. To compensate for or takeup such wear, I have de vised the following means: The piston-rods It Bare each provided with a bearing-plate, y, in which is formed a recessor seat for one of the bearing blocks or brasses K and K for the crank Sof crank-shaft S. The two bearing-plates g 3/ are connected by means ofad justing and retaining screws H H, thus forming a yoke, Y, in whichthe brasses are seated. The screws H H are attenuated at their oppositeends, h, and said ends are screw-threaded to receive check-nuts N N.From the shoulders h, formed by the attenuated portion of the screws H,toward the center thereof, said screws have at one end a right-hand andat the other a left-hand thread, upon which work the nuts N N, andcentrally of said screws is a rigid hexagonal or other angular flange,collar, or nut, N to whicha suitable key or wrench is applied for thepurpose of rotating the screws II, as more plainly shown in Fig. 7.

It is obvious that by rotating the screws H in one direction theseat-plates y y of the yoke Y will be brought closer together, and byrotating said screws in a reverse direction the said plates will bemoved apart, as will be readily understood. By means of this simpleconstruction the brasses K K may be readily adjusted when the contactingsurfaces are worn, and the amount of wear compensated or taken up bysuch adjustment.

P indicates the supply-pipe for the pump; 17 the pipes leading to andfrom the cylinders, and P the pipe leading to a receiver in which thewater is compressed, or to a press or other device operated by thepressure of the water, which press or other device I have deemedunnecessary to show, as it forms no part of my invention.

B indicates the usual belt-shifting bar, that carries at one endabelt-shifting fork or a loop,

7 B", and slides in suitable guides formed in the framing F. 'With theopposite end of the bar B is connected an ordinary hand-lever, L,pivoted to the framing, for operating the bar B by hand to shift thebelt from the loose pulley D to the driving-pulley D, or from the latterto the former, when this is required.

V indicates the safety-valve,whieh is also of wellknown construction,the valvelever L being, however, a two-armed lever whose arm Z extendsunder the belt-shifting bar B; and said arm Z is provided on its endwith a stud or lug that engages a suitable hole or recess or a shoulderformed in or on the under side of the bar B, near the end where the handlever is connected thereto, to hold the bar in proper position with thebelt on driving-pulley D, the lever performing the function of .a detentwith respect to the bar B. The other arm, Z, of the valve-lever Lcarries, as usual, a weight adjustable 011 said lever.

The belt'shifting bar B has at its rear end an arm, I), to which isattached one end of a sufiiciently-strong coiled spring, .9, to throwthe bar toward the loose pulley D and shift the belt from the fastpulley onto said loose pulley when said bar is released from the arm Iof valve-lever L, the opposite end of the spring 8 being attached to anarm projecting from the frame F.

It is obvious that if the weight on a1 in Z of lever L is adjusted tohold thevalvc down until a predetermined pressure in pipe I? has beenreached and lift the valve when said pressureincreases, the lever L,whenthe valve is lifted, will be moved on its fulcrum, the arm Z ascendingwhile the arm Z descends and releases the bar B, which, under the stressof spring 8, is thrown forward and shifts the belt from fast pulley D toloose pulley D.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have shown the belt shifting bar D controlledfrom the safety-valve V. It will, however, be understood that said barmay be controlled from any other suitable form of valve independently ofthe safetyvalve; or it may be controlled-from a piston, as shown in Fig.4; or it may be controlled from a diaphragm, or from any other suitablemechanical appliance adapted to be actuated by the pressure of the wateror to transmlt the power exerted by the water under pressure to a detentfor releasing the belt-shifting bar B.

In order to facilitate the adjustment of the weight on the valve-lever Lto any desired pressure, I form in the upper face of sald lever a seriesof notches, Z, forming a graduated scale, indicating pounds of pressureto the square inch, and to prevent the accidental displacement of theweight when adjusted I have devised the means shown in detail 7 in Figs.5 and 6. In these figures, L is the le ver, and Z its weighted armprovided with a series of Vshaped notches, Z The weight W is suspendedfrom the loop or strap a of a sliding support, A, the head of which hasa screwthreaded opening, in which works a set or binding screw, a, whoselower end is wedgeshaped to fit the correspondingly shaped notches inthe lever L. The loop or strap a of the slide A embraces the lever-arm,and when said slide is brought into proper position to bring theset-screw a over any one o the notches the said set-screw is screweddown into said notch, thus binding or tightening the support to thelever-arm.

Instead of a set-screw a spring-actuated pin may be employed, said pinsliding freely in an opening in the head of the support, a springsecured to said head being arranged so that its free end will bear on acollar or shoulder of or on the head of the pin, a construction thatwill readily be understood.

Under some circumstances it may be desirable to have a detent-lever thatis adjustable as to the length of its detent-arm, inwhich case I employtwo levers, L" L, pivoted to the valve-head or other suitable support,the lever If being adjustable on its fulcrumf, and is to this endprovided with a series of fulcrum or pivot holes, Z as shown in Fig. 4.One end of said lever L bears upon the lever L, to enable the latterwhen lifted to depress the outer end of lever L and release itfromengagement with the bar B. In either construction the lever or leversact as a detent in conjunction with the bar B, to hold the latteragainst movement,or to release it.

\Vhen the belt has been shifted from the fast to the loose pulley, andis to be shifted back onto the former pulley, the hand-lever L is used,as will be readily understood.

From the above description the operation of the belt-shifting devicesmay be readily understood, and no further description thereof is deemednecessary.

It will be observed that the beltshifter-controlling devices may beapplied to any existing form of fluid-compressor without altering anypart thereof to any great extent; that they fled. 3. The combination,substantially as herein described, with the piston-driving shaftcarrying a fast and loose pulley,a belt-shifting may be applied at anysuitable point where the pressure of the fluid can be made available,and need not necessarily be applied to the l1ne-pipethat is to say, tothe pipe 1?, leading from the compressor to the receiver, in which thefluid is to be compressed or stored under pressure, or to a hydraulicpress or other mechanism operated by the fluid, as said devices, valve,piston, diaphragm, or other pressure -transmitting devices may beconnected with a branch pipe leading from said line-pipe. It willfurther be observed that the mechanism is simple in its construction,therefore not liable to get out of order, effi cient and reliable inoperation; that it is not absolutely necessary to operate thebelt-shift- 7 ing bar by a spring, as it may be operated in any othersuitable manneras, for instance, through the medium of a cord attachedat one end to the bar B and running over a pulley, and carrying at itsother end a weight to throw the bar in the proper direction whenreleased from the detent-lever L; or a weighted lever may be pivoted atany suitable point to the frame F, in proximity to and connected withthe bar B, to throw the latter the required distan ce to shift the beltfrom the fast to the loose pulley when released, from the detent-lever;.

and, lastly, that the invention is not necessarily limited tobelt-shifting devices, as it will be obvious to any skilled mechanicthat it may be applied with equal facility and without very materialchanges toa clutch-shifting lever connected with the bar B, orequivalent device.

Having thus described my said invention and how the same is to beperformed, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with the crankshaft S and the pistou'rods R R,provided each with a seat-plate, y, of the brasses K and K for the crankof the shaft, the screwbolts N, and check-nuts N, said. parts beingconstructed and operating substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

2. The combination, substantially as herein described, with theforce-pipe, thepiston-driving shaft, and a connection betweensa-id shaftand a prime motor, of a valve interposed in the force-pipe andcontrolled by the pressure of the fluid therein, and a detent connectedwith the crank-shaft connection and valve, and operated by the latter todisconnect said shaft from the prime motor, for the purpose specibar,and the force-pipe, of a valve interposed in said force-pipe andoperatedby the pressure of the fluid therein, and a weighted valve-leveroperating to lock the belt-shifting bar in position with the belt on thefast pulley and release said bar when the valve is moved by the pressureof the fluid, for the purpose specr fled.

4. The combination, substantially as herein described, with thepiston-driving shaft carrying a fast and loose pulley, a spring-actuatedbelt-shifting bar, and the forcepipe, of a valve interposed in saidforce-pipe and operated by thepressure of the fluid therein, andaweighted valve-lever operating to lock the beltshiftlng bar against thestress of its spring, for the purpose specified. t

5. In a fluid compressor, the combination, with the force-pipe, thepiston-driving shaft, and a connection between said shaft and a primemotor, of a valve interposed in said force-pipe, and an extensibledetent operated by the valve and controlling the connections of thecrank-shaft with the prime motor to disconnect the same when the valveis moved by the pressure of the fluid, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

6. The combination, substantially asherein described, with thecrankshaft S, carrying fast and loose pulleys D and D, thespringactuated belt-shifting bar B, and the foree-plpe P, of the valveV, and a weighted valve-lever provided with a lug at the end of one ofits arms engaging a notch in or shoulder on the under side of the bar B,for the purpose specified.

7 The combination, substantially as herein described, with thecrank-shaft S, carrying the fast and loose pulleys D D, thespring-actuated belt-shifting bar B, and the force-pipe I of the valveV, and a weighted lever composed of two levers, L L, said lever L beingad ustable longitudinally on the leverL for the purpose specified.

S. The combination, substantially as described,with the valveV, and avalve-lever provided with a series of V-shaped notches, of the weight\V, its sliding support A, and a lockin g pin or screw operating in saidsupport and engaging the notches in the lever to lock the weight inposition, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. TAPPEY.

\Vi tn esses F. WHITTLE, EUGENE JONES.

ICC

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